Police say money raised from shoplifting often pays for drugs

The 26-year-old woman is the first person to be served with an exclusion order in the town under the Wellingborough Partners Against Crime initiative.

She had a series of convictions for theft and the ban will last for 12 months.

PC Steve Oliver, the town centre beat officer for Wellingborough, said her crimes were affecting shoppers as well as shopkeepers.

"The simple point is that she steals from shops, shops obviously lose money that way and they have to recoup the money so they put up the price of their goods so the public has to pay for it," he said.

About 70 shops, including those in the Swansgate Centre, have signed up to join WPAC.

Police believe that theft from shops is the main source of funds for buying drugs.